Fire escape



April 5, 1932.

T. E. LA ROY FIRE ESCAPE Filed Jan. 12, 1951 16 Tho has [Ila/"0y;

NNNNNN OR Patented Apr. 5, 1932 Fran n'scarn Applicati'on filed January 12, 1931. Serial No. 508,261.

My present invention has reference to fire escapes of the portable and collapsible or telescopic type designed to be readily carried from place to place and easily installed in a window or doorway to enable the occupants of a building to descend safely to the ground.

The improvement is primarily'directed to the anchoring or holding means for the ladder when the same is in operative position andhas for afurt-her object to simplify and improve the fire escape upon which I" was granted U. S. Letters Patent No. 994,760, dated June 13, 1911.

The drawings illustrate a satisfactory embodiment and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the invention.

Figure 2 is a central transverse sectional View through a portion of a building showing the fire escape in the window opening thereof.

Figure 3 is a side elevation showing the fire escape telescopedor folded.

Figure dis a perspective view of a shelf which may be supported from one of the substantially U-shaped members constituting V the elements oi the fire escape.

' the said building.

The the escape is substantially of a construction disclosed by my mentioned Patent 994,760, the ladder sections 1 being each in the nature of substantially U-shaped wires whose lower connecting portions provlde treads and whose sldes or arms have their ends rounded toward each other, as at 2,-and from thence extended in parallelism to provide arms 3' whose ends contact with the wall of a building 4 to hold the ladder spaced from The diiierence between the laddersections of my present invention and those of my patented construction resides in the bending or rounding of the ends of the sides 1 instead of forming the same with the loops or eyes as in my said patented construction. This cheapens manufacture and permits. of the'freesliding of one of the ladder sections on the otherand holds the ladder sections associated in a'manner as effective as a that of my mentioned patented construction.

. One of the laddersections, indicated for distinction by the numeral 6,- has the end of its side members or arms formed with eyes 7 and theseeyes receive therethrough a sub- I stantially U-shapedor bail member 8 which,

. as disclosed by igure 2 of the drawings, is-

designed to rest upon. the-sill'and the lower portion of a window opening 9 in the building 4.. The parallel arms of the bail member 8 have their ends formed with eyes 10,

and through these eyes there are movable anchoring rods 11. The rods 11 have their outer endsofiset in the same direction, as at 12,.and their inner ends are oppositely offset and formed with eyes 13. Each of the rods 11 is receivedthrough the eye of the cooperating rod whereby the rods may be moved longitudinally and adjusted in desired positions to have their offset ends 12 contact with the opposite edges of the vertical trim'for the window casing. On one of the rods 11 there is arranged the coiled portion 14 of a strong wire spring'ymember, the ends provided by the said coil being formed with arm extensions15 that terminate in hooks 16 and these hooks are designed to be arranged against the innerfaceand under the stool: 17 of the trim for thewindow 9. Also as disclosed by Fig. 3, the arms 15, are designed to be swung overthe tread portions of ladder sections and the hooks l6 brought to engage with the tread of the outer section when the sections are, folded against each other. I

As disclosed by Figure 4 a platform 1 may have attached to its ends the angle arms of wire members 19, the meeting ends of the said arms being formed with eyes 20 through which pass the armsof the bail 8, and whereby the device may be employed, when the ladder is detached, by painters or window cleaners.

Instead of constructing the member .8 oi

Having described the invention, I claim 1- r 1. An anchoring device for a ladderthat is made up of substantially U-shaped collaps ible stepvsections, a bail hingedlysecured to one ofsaid step sections and having its inner end provided with eyes, said anchor com.- 9

creme prising rods movable through the eyes of the bail and which rods have their outer ends offset and their inner ends also ofiiset and provided with eyes through which the re- ,u spective rods are guided.

2. An anchoring device for a ladder that is made up of substantially U-shaped collapsible step sections, a bail hingedly secured to one of said step sections and having its inner end provided with eyes, said anchor comprising rods movable through the eyes of the bail and which rods have their outer ends offset and their inner ends also ofiiset and provided with eyes through which the respec- 5 tive rods are guided, and a hook carrying member having a central rounded portion through which one of the rods passes.

3. A foldable fire escape comprising a plurality of U-shaped members that have their 9 parallel arms, adjacent to their ends rounded inwardly and from thence extended outwardly and the parallel arms of the cooperating sections being slidable in the said rounded portions, one of said sections havgo ing the ends of its parallel members formed with eyes and a U'shaped member swingably mounted in said eyes and said U-shaped member having its parallel members and its outer ends formed with eyes, rods having offset ends 30 slidable through said eyes, said rods being arranged out of alignment and having their inner ends o'l'lset and rounded to afford eyes through which the cooperating rods pass, a spring having a coiled portion on one of the as rods between the eyes, the ends of the said coil being formed with arms which terminate in hooks and the said hooks, when the sections are folded together, designed to be swung over the lower or tread portions of the said m sections and to engage therewith.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

THOMAS E. LA ROY. 

